Sorry if this question has already been answered but im struggling to read all the speculation and get a clear answer.

I've been hanging out to upgrade my DS1010+ to the new DS1517+ however ive read that the CPU spec is the same as the old DS1515+.
Does this mean that the performance of the DS1517+ will be not different to the DS1515+ for streaming media and transcoding files?

I couldt see anything written that states there would be any transcoding hardware included in the DS1517+
Is there a possibility that Synology released this early with a ver 1 processor and could drop something a bit more powerful in later if i wait a while?

We stream a lot of movies in our house from my DS1010+ via plex and it is incapable of transcoding or streaming very high def without choking.

pommie wrote:Sorry if this question has already been answered but im struggling to read all the speculation and get a clear answer.

I've been hanging out to upgrade my DS1010+ to the new DS1517+ however ive read that the CPU spec is the same as the old DS1515+.
Does this mean that the performance of the DS1517+ will be not different to the DS1515+ for streaming media and transcoding files?

I couldt see anything written that states there would be any transcoding hardware included in the DS1517+
Is there a possibility that Synology released this early with a ver 1 processor and could drop something a bit more powerful in later if i wait a while?

We stream a lot of movies in our house from my DS1010+ via plex and it is incapable of transcoding or streaming very high def without choking.

Thanks

The hard reality is that Synology really doesn't make any units that are capable Plex transcoders. None of their units have Intel Quick Video Sync enabled for the 3rd party use for hardware transcoding, so you would want to go with whatever NAS has the most actual processing power. The DS1517+ can transcode one 1080P stream of 10mbps or less.

If Plex transcoding is high priority and you need multiple 1080P or 4K transcoding, QNAP is probably your better option.

I am so severely disappointed in Synology. I have been a user since 2012 with my ds1512+. I have been waiting for an upgrade for so long now. After seeing the specs for the DS916+ I was hopeful for the DS1517 to be just as strong if not better. Instead they put the same processor as the DS1515+, with known issues in the Celeron family. And No transcoding capabilities. I have been using my Synology for Plex transcoding now and it simply doesn't work. I am so disappointed, but now have to start looking at QNAP for a stronger NAS.

If I may, let me throw out an alternative solution that you might want to think about ...

I am in a similar situation - I have a 412+ that has been reaching capacity, and my intention has been to replace it with an 1817+, when that device becomes available, and move my 412+ to a backup device.

I currently use the 412+ primarily to support storage, backup and VPN access for our family and my wife's small business. I also use it for Plex and PhotoStation, but the most critical thing is ultra-reliable storage and backup. At this point the 412+ has reached saturation. Large backups bring volume utilization to 100% and RAM utilization well above 50%. Load any Plex activity on top of that (just streaming, not even transcoding) and the box can come to its knees.

I too was hoping for an 1817+ with a much stronger processor to help with Plex, and a lot more RAM. I was also disappointed when I saw the specs for the 1817+, with the older CPU.

We've used DSM for almost 10 years and it has been really solid in performing those functions. I've also had a few instances where I've had to contact Synology for support, and they have done a great job of supporting me when I needed it. So, in general I've been very happy with Synology and would be reluctant to move away from them. As I said, reliability and support for the core storage and backup functions is most critical to me.

What I've decided to do is separate the NAS function from the Plex application server function in my environment. I work in Enterprise IT, and that is what we do - we have devices that are dedicated to storage and application servers that are dedicated to running applications. So I am doing the same - I just purchased a small Intel NUC, loaded Linux onto it and have set that device up as a Plex server. All of the media continues to be stored on the NAS, but all of the streaming and processing in now going to be done by the NUC. Even a modestly spec'd NUC is very fast relative to what you need to run Plex.

Granted, this is not a solution for everyone. Many, many people will certainly want a single box solution. A single box solution is simpler, easier to administer and probably less expensive. I do believe that Synology is missing a market segment here - one that QNAP is pursuing much more aggressively.

But, if you want/need to keep the DSM environment, and if you are willing to support a two box solution, then there is an alternative. I am going to upgrade to the 1817+ when it is available, and I expect that the new 1817+ will be more than adequate to meet my ongoing NAS needs. Couple that with a really powerful NUC based application server, and I think that I am getting the best of both worlds.

As I said .... that may not be the right solution for you , but food for thought!

Paul0521 wrote:If I may, let me throw out an alternative solution that you might want to think about ...

I am in a similar situation - I have a 412+ that has been reaching capacity, and my intention has been to replace it with an 1817+, when that device becomes available, and move my 412+ to a backup device.

I currently use the 412+ primarily to support storage, backup and VPN access for our family and my wife's small business. I also use it for Plex and PhotoStation, but the most critical thing is ultra-reliable storage and backup. At this point the 412+ has reached saturation. Large backups bring volume utilization to 100% and RAM utilization well above 50%. Load any Plex activity on top of that (just streaming, not even transcoding) and the box can come to its knees.

I too was hoping for an 1817+ with a much stronger processor to help with Plex, and a lot more RAM. I was also disappointed when I saw the specs for the 1817+, with the older CPU.

We've used DSM for almost 10 years and it has been really solid in performing those functions. I've also had a few instances where I've had to contact Synology for support, and they have done a great job of supporting me when I needed it. So, in general I've been very happy with Synology and would be reluctant to move away from them. As I said, reliability and support for the core storage and backup functions is most critical to me.

What I've decided to do is separate the NAS function from the Plex application server function in my environment. I work in Enterprise IT, and that is what we do - we have devices that are dedicated to storage and application servers that are dedicated to running applications. So I am doing the same - I just purchased a small Intel NUC, loaded Linux onto it and have set that device up as a Plex server. All of the media continues to be stored on the NAS, but all of the streaming and processing in now going to be done by the NUC. Even a modestly spec'd NUC is very fast relative to what you need to run Plex.

Granted, this is not a solution for everyone. Many, many people will certainly want a single box solution. A single box solution is simpler, easier to administer and probably less expensive. I do believe that Synology is missing a market segment here - one that QNAP is pursuing much more aggressively.

But, if you want/need to keep the DSM environment, and if you are willing to support a two box solution, then there is an alternative. I am going to upgrade to the 1817+ when it is available, and I expect that the new 1817+ will be more than adequate to meet my ongoing NAS needs. Couple that with a really powerful NUC based application server, and I think that I am getting the best of both worlds.

As I said .... that may not be the right solution for you , but food for thought!

Paul

Which model of NUC did you get and I don't see the DS1517+ neither the 1817+ on Synology website, it is already released? Where?

Which model of NUC did you get and I don't see the DS1517+ neither the 1817+ on Synology website, it is already released? Where

?

I got a 6th generation Intel Core i5-6260U, and put 16G of RAM and a 250G M.2 SSD into it. I loaded it with Ubuntu 16.04. Probably way over spec'ed if all you want is a Plex server, but I intend to use the device for other things as well.

The 1517+ and 1817+ haven't been released yet, but they are expected in the very near future.

Which model of NUC did you get and I don't see the DS1517+ neither the 1817+ on Synology website, it is already released? Where

?

I got a 6th generation Intel Core i5-6260U, and put 16G of RAM and a 250G M.2 SSD into it. I loaded it with Ubuntu 16.04. Probably way over spec'ed if all you want is a Plex server, but I intend to use the device for other things as well.

The 1517+ and 1817+ haven't been released yet, but they are expected in the very near future.

Paul

I basically did the same thing, with regards to separating out the media server capabilities (Emby in my case), but I repurposed a Mac Mini and loaded ProxMox on it. This allows me to run several VM's or containers, so I have a Windows 2012 Server VM running Emby, an Ubuntu VM running Unifi Video NVR software, and a small Debian container running Pi-Hole. It'd a good way of making the most of your hardware at least and is awesome for tinkerers like myself

I got a 6th generation Intel Core i5-6260U, and put 16G of RAM and a 250G M.2 SSD into it. I loaded it with Ubuntu 16.04. Probably way over spec'ed if all you want is a Plex server, but I intend to use the device for other things as well.

The 1517+ and 1817+ haven't been released yet, but they are expected in the very near future.

Paul

I basically did the same thing, with regards to separating out the media server capabilities (Emby in my case), but I repurposed a Mac Mini and loaded ProxMox on it. This allows me to run several VM's or containers, so I have a Windows 2012 Server VM running Emby, an Ubuntu VM running Unifi Video NVR software, and a small Debian container running Pi-Hole. It'd a good way of making the most of your hardware at least and is awesome for tinkerers like myself

I also have had success running a VM that hosts the Plex Media Server software. Pretty much any VM/OS can mount a shared folder on a Synology NAS. I have a pretty large VM farm at home so was able to give a lot of CPU and RAM to ensure good 1080p transcoding performance, a quad core with 8 GB ram should be overkill and achievable for most.

I use a shared folder for all the media and have a separate iSCSI LUN that the VM files themselves live on. Both on the same NAS. I believe in using the NAS for file storage and management and having dedicated compute for the applications. This gives you more granular control over performance and better isolation for troubleshooting.

If you do not have the ability to run VMs or do not want to learn linux, you could just as easily use an old laptop running its OEM windows license to run Plex and access the storage over the network. You can actually probably find a low cost laptop with decent specs that would be fine for the role and in the same neighborhood as a NUC in performance. 4-8 GB RAM and a low end i3 Quad Core should give a great experience. You can just set up the software, change the power settings to do nothing when the screen is closed, shut the lid, and keep the laptop somewhere out of the way with room to breathe. You could use wireless but I would definitely recommend using wired connections whenever possible - cheaper laptops are not obsessed with being thin and are likely to have an ethernet connection.

swsquish wrote:I am so severely disappointed in Synology. I have been a user since 2012 with my ds1512+. I have been waiting for an upgrade for so long now. After seeing the specs for the DS916+ I was hopeful for the DS1517 to be just as strong if not better. Instead they put the same processor as the DS1515+, with known issues in the Celeron family. And No transcoding capabilities. I have been using my Synology for Plex transcoding now and it simply doesn't work. I am so disappointed, but now have to start looking at QNAP for a stronger NAS.

I am in the exact same boat, except that I am a customer since 2011.
The DS916+ seemed OK last year, a bit of too consumer grade build quality in my opinion but one year later it's my best Synology option.
I am looking for a Qnap and looking at Freenas as an option as well now.

pommie wrote:Just to let you all know i made the jump and purchased a TVS 673 admittedly it costs a fair bit more than the DS1517+ would cost but it has built in trans-coding and a high end processor.

The unit arrives today so fingers cross i dont regret the decision.

Come back here and tell us what you think of it!

Yes, please do.

I'm done waiting for Synology to release the device that I need. So I need to make a move to either QNAP, or FreeNAS. I'll probably wait until FreeNAS 10 comes out of Beta and see how I like that. With VirtualBox and Docker capability, I'm sure I can do everything I need and more, and not miss DSM all that much.

The DS1517 + is very disappointing! It took more than 2 years to get an update of the DS1515 + and they kept the same CPU ... Synology does not listen their users. Where are the transcoding capabilities for software other than their damn Video Station ?? They are stubborn to keep CPUs underperforming ... I'm not going back today to Synology ... I'll stay with Qnap!